


sparklers

by onthighsbelongtotaemin



Category: SHINee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 15:49:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8584375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onthighsbelongtotaemin/pseuds/onthighsbelongtotaemin
Summary: wherein taemin burns sparklers & jinki holds a galaxy in his smile.





	

taemin stares at the sparkler in his hand, watching as it flickers with an open mouth smile while he thinks of everything & feels it all.  it’s chill & the air hurts but the sun warms his shoulders & the muddle of the world is muted in reverence to the glitter in his hand.

“are those legal?”  he hears the voice ask him a question but he doesn’t see a face, not yet.  his world is before him in little bits of light attached to a rapidly dwindling stick & he’s not willing to leave its familiarity for an uncertain present.  the body of the voice shuffles in the leaves & moves towards him, beyond his periphery & directly in front.  they’re eye level if taemin would look up.  he glances quickly from his world to the stranger & then back & then back again because the sun rests on the strangers face & a new galaxy exists in his smile.

“i don’t know.”  he replies with a shrug as the fire burns out & the sparkler lays dead in his hand. he tosses it to the ground & lifts up his jacket to reach into a hidden pocket.

“but i have another.”  he hands one to the stranger whose galaxy shines brighter & then offers a light so that he can hold his own world in his hand, & sets ablaze another of his own. they stand in silence in the sun-streaked chill with ash forming in their hands & smiles burning.  this time he doesn’t offer another sparkler but rather his name.

“jinki,” the other says, the warmth of his voice an extra balm against the chill.  when the bus arrives he lets taemin on first & asks if he can sit with him, taking the outside seat so that taemin can watch what passes between himself & the window pane.  the windows are damp & a bit of condensation creates a canvas that he absent-mindedly etches into with his forefinger.

he learns things on the ride.  he learns that jinki smiles a lot & has a laugh that could heal a thousand broken hearts.  he learns that he tells irrelevant jokes that are perfect because taemin tells the same ones & now he’s met someone who doesn’t get confused or sigh.  & when they get off at the transfer station, when they’re forced away from each other just as life has crossed their paths, he learns what jinki’s number is.

and later he will learn that jinki’s lips are soft & that his skin is softer & that jinki tells the truth.  & because jinki tells the truth he will believe him when he says “i love you” & “you’re not broken”.  and they will live together & laugh & fight & burn sparklers in the backyard. because life is too short & too intricate not to.


End file.
